Every time I see an aisle full of kitchen gadgets and tools, I have to fight an immediate urge to go investigate every single one. I have a hard time resisting a good kitchen gizmo, but more often than not they end up gathering dust in a drawer somewhere, because they are rarely as necessary or useful as I thought they would be!
As much as I love kitchen gadgets, my desire to keep my kitchen tidy and streamlined usually wins out. And whether you have too many kitchen tools or none at all, it can be useful to learn to make do with what you already have at home!
And to that end, today I’ll be sharing 11 of my favorite ideas for replacing those single-use kitchen gadgets with stuff you already have on hand! (And for even more cheap alternatives to fancy kitchen gadgets, check out this post!)
11 Cheap Alternatives to Fancy Kitchen Gadgets
1. Use Knives as a Cooling Rack
If you don’t have a cooling rack, or if they’re all being used at the moment, you can use a few butter knives to elevate a baking sheet sheet off of the counter to cool. Just line up the knives about an inch apart in a vertical line, a horizontal line, or a combination of both depending on how much counter you need to cover.
2. Use Silicone Trivet as a Jar Opener
Place a silicone trivet over tough-to-open jar lids to increase friction and make the jar easier to open. Jar openers can be pretty handy, a silicone trivet is far more versatile—you can also use them as hot pads or to help clean your makeup brushes!
3. Use a Colander as a Flour Sifter
If you don’t have a sifter, use a metal strainer or colander and gently tap it on the side of your bowl. It works great and is even easier than using a sifter!
4. Use Foil as a Funnel
Can’t find a funnel? Quickly fashion one out of a piece of aluminum foil!
5. Use Clothespins as Chip Clips
Don’t waste money on chip clips. They break easily, and clothespins work just fine! You can usually find a big bag of clothespins at the dollar store.
6. Use a Knife as a Garlic Press
Instead of using a garlic press and having to clean it out every time, just smash garlic with the flat edge of your kitchen knife! It’s so fast and super easy!
7. Use a Toothbrush as a Pastry Brush
Don’t have a pastry brush? Use an unused toothbrush instead—I almost always one to spare from my most recent trip to the dentist. :-)
8. Use Foil as a Bacon Rack
Skip the specialty bacon rack and make your own with tin foil. Fold up a long piece of tin foil accordion-style (folding back and forth every inch or so) to form ridges.
Set your DIY bacon rack on a baking sheet, lay pieces of uncooked bacon across it, then pop it into the oven on broil. You’ll have a sheet of perfectly crisp bacon in minutes!
9. Use Dental Floss as Cooking Twine
If you need to tie up a turkey or other meat, use some unflavored dental floss! It’s cheaper than cooking twine and works just as well.
10. Use a Straw as a Strawberry Huller
Instead of buying a gadget just to hull strawberries, you can use use a drink straw to do the same job! Just push a straw into the bottom of a strawberry and slide it through until the top pops off.
More Ideas You'll Love
11. Use a Water Bottle as an Egg Separator
Separating eggs has always been a pain, but I can do it in seconds with this clever trick! Crack your egg into a shallow dish, then take a plastic water bottle (preferably one of the flimsy, easy-to-crush ones) and squeeze some of the air out.
Hold the opening next to the egg yolk, then release your hold on the bottle to suck up the yolk. Squeeze the bottle again to deposit the yolk in a separate dish, and you’re done! It’s quick and easy, and pretty fun too! :-)
Do you have any tips for getting by without a certain kitchen tool?
NEW! Can you guess the 5-letter word related to today’s post?
More Ideas You'll Love
Great tips. Actually the tile trivet is a great craft to do with grandkids!! I have been looking for ways to “NOT” buy a Kitchen Aid. Any ideas. I have a Ninja..not the small one and not the big one. It is not big enough for some of the recipes I do. Do I need to bite the bullet and get a Kitchen Aid?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I personally love mine, and use it in the place of lots of other kitchen tools! I especially love using it to shred cooked chicken. But it is a pretty big investment!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Funny thing is I would say don’t buy a Cuisinart! We got ours from Costco(11 cup) and the tabs on the bowl kept breaking off. Both the tabs that hold on the lid and how it attaches to the base. Cuisinart replaced the bowl three times but we had to pay shipping! I replaced my food processor with a Ninja. It does it all. So cool, to have one appliance, that is so versatile. That would be my recommendation:)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love using the tiles as trivets. Years ago we actually made fancy ones at a church activity. We just used old cards and decopauged but you can also use fancy napkins. Much cheaper than the ones they sell at the store. These have held up very well and we still use them.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How cute!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.There are a lot of god tips here. I definitely want to try the knife for smashing garlic. The garlic press is my least favorite tool to clean, especially when the person who used it leaves the goop in there to “set” instead of rinsing it right out.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I can attest to how easy this is! Use a large butcher knife, lay it on the garlic and give it a good whack with your fist (careful not to cut yourself!) and the garlic “skin” just comes right off. I saw a chef do this once and had to pick my jaw up off the floor…been doing it myself ever since!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Such a pain to clean! I think you’ll like smashing it, it’s super easy!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great tips Angela!! The tupperware definitely works, I just usually don’t need all that garlic at once – but it is super fast! I love the idea of using a fine grater for garlic!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love the “using a grater for an onion” idea!! Thanks so much! Gonna try that soon!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You can peel just as fast by placing them in a quart mason jar, put the top on and shake. Off comes the peels.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes but that just peels the garlic, it doesn’t smash it.
I also use either a small hole hand grater or my microplane for garlic, ginger and nutmeg.
I freeze the whole ginger root and grate as I need or, sometimes I grate the whole thing, then freeze. That way I can break off the amount needed for a recipe. I save time not having to grate for each recipe & also have less to clean up. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great idea for the ginger, Nancy!
Thats exactly what I was gonna share. It works great.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks! I was going to ask what to do if you didn’t have a grapefruit spoon :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.A pair of rubber gloves is great for opening jars; you don’t even need to put them on. They are also good when using a screwdriver to keep a really good grip on the handle.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Or you can put a rubber band around the lid (and leave it there for next time).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Both of those are great ideas, and I can personally attest to Jillie’s idea of the silicone squares & circles. Cheap and very effective.
I do this. Very good result.
I definitely have a pair of rubber gloves around, thanks for the tip Janet!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use dental floss to cut through pastry rolls, especially cinnamon buns. You place the center of the floss underneath and pull the two ends across the top.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.So easy! I love it Maureen!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have also used thread instead of dental floss.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes! the hint has been around for awhile. LOL My mom used a length of doubled white sewing thread to cut cinnamon rolls. I think Grandma did too. I’ve been doing the same since I was a kid….a long time ago…. It works great.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.